History enthusiasts eager to see the Bayeux Tapestry will have to wait until next year as this year’s tickets have sold out rapidly, drawing comparisons to the high demand for Glastonbury Festival tickets. The 11th-century artifact, recounting the Norman victory at the Battle of Hastings, will be exhibited at the British Museum for a 10-month period starting in September. Over 100,000 individuals attempted to secure tickets online when they were released at 10 am on Wednesday.
Due to overwhelming demand, many will likely miss the opportunity to view the 224-foot-long medieval masterpiece until the following year. The museum announced limited availability until the end of December, with a potential release of additional tickets for 2027 in the coming months. Some disappointed visitors were informed that tickets had sold out upon reaching the front of the queue.
Ticket prices have been set at £33 for peak times and £27 for off-peak hours, with free admission for children under 16 accompanied by a paying adult. The online ticket portal experienced significant delays, with wait times of up to nine hours, causing frustration among users who took to social media to express their disappointment.
One Twitter user expressed concern about the high demand for future ticket releases, while another shared their four-hour wait without optimism of securing a ticket. A lucky museum member who persevered through a six-hour wait likened the experience to obtaining tickets for Glastonbury Festival.
The Bayeux Tapestry, believed to have been crafted by Anglo-Saxon women in England under Bishop Odo of Bayeux’s commission in the 11th century, illustrates the events of the Battle of Hastings in 1066 and King Harold’s demise, marking the Norman conquest’s onset. The tapestry, housed in France for over 900 years, will return to British soil under an agreement between Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron.
